Home Renovation Prescription – Don’t rush

By Mike Holmes, Postmedia News

So, tell the truth now: How many of you found yourselves celebrating the holidays with an unfinished renovation? Your family gathered around a makeshift kitchen, maybe with plywood countertops on cabinet bases? The new dishwasher still in its cardboard wrap — with maybe the fridge in the dining room? A microwave set up on a table, next to the toaster as you looked through storage boxes for dishes to set the table? Festive.

And why did this happen? In my experience, in the great majority of cases, it’s because you rushed into it. You decided that you wanted to re-do some part of the house, and you needed to, absolutely had to, have it done before the holidays. You broke the No. 1 rule of renovation: Slow down, take your time.

Don’t say I didn’t tell you so.

Every year, I get hundreds of these stories — and some are pretty horrific — but they all boil down to the same basic truth: When you rush a renovation, bad things happen. That is especially true if you are rushing to make some deadline — holiday celebrations, a wedding shower, a graduation party; anytime you want to have the house “just perfect” for visitors.

Read more: Holmes on Homes: Renovation Rx
via the Montreal Gazette

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